Blog 55: Its written in the stars.

This week’s title is thanks to one of my oldest (no, no NO dear reader not in age – in as many years we been friends – in fact she was my boss once a upon a star!!!!) and dearest friends, Mausie, you are so correct, it sure is “all written in the stars” love you lots Mausie.

Love you to beyond the stars and moon and back dearest Maureen Kok!

 Who – or is it just me, I recall when I was a young girl, my mom, it would irritate me beyond, always saying how “time is flying” – well isn’t this old duck saying the exact thing these days. Every time I bump into someone, they get the “My how time is flying” routine!!! And the thing is, even the youngsters are saying it!! How uncool is that? So, as you can see from the title of this blog – Chad has become a UK citizen – well working toward it in the next 5 years – to have that “Indefinite leave to remain” status. And life has continued for me. That heart break that I had booked therapy sessions for – they weren’t necessary – I have survived – if I am honest as I knew I would. But its just that thought – that emptiness that as a mom we anticipate. Especially me – drama queen of note!

I had a work appointment for the day Chad was due to fly. I “warned” the lady I would be meeting with that I would be “bleak” as I would have just returned from the airport after saying farewell to my son. “Oh no she replied we definitely can meet the day after” – so we duly did! And what did dearest Dizabeth do? I arrived introduced myself, and she asked, “How is your heart was feeling?” well didn’t Dizabeth stand staring at her, an extremely vague, questionable look on my face! She confusedly preempted me – “your son – he was flying yesterday” …..”Oh…….”I replied nonchalantly “you know he has been out of the home for nine years, what with Uni, and living in Cape Town …….” Now at this stage she really looked confused (waaay more than I was!!!) she didn’t say it but I am sure as sure she wanted to say well then what the heck was the dramatic email about yesterday???

Funny a bit of random add on at this point of the story, I was at the school, and do you know how many times this has occurred to me since I have been back! So, the meeting was finished, I was walking out the school, a dad was entering and explained he was coming to fetch his child earlier as they were off to Pretoria. In my mind I chitter chatted to dearest Dizabeth – she agreed – he was being quite a drama dad (yip you see how Dizabeth recognizes a “drama dude” instantly – yip – coz she is one herself!) anyhow, as I was saying I said to Dizabeth “this dad is really being a drama dad – phhhst going to Pretoria, it is only 3 hours away” – then it dawned on me – I was doing it again!!! Thinking I am in Nelspruit – and yes then it would indeed be a three hour journey. I cannot tell you just how many times dear reader dearest Dizabeth thinks she is still in the Nellies hood! Hmmmm maybe as I have raised the concern before, early Alzheimer’s creeping in??? Although in my defense, since the whole “E. coli debacle” I don’t frequent the beach as often as I had promised myself I would, for obvious reasons! So I guess living “inland” and not seeing the sea everyday – it is understandable that this old dear at times imagines she is still back in the Nellies hood! Land locked and all.

Talking different provinces, you know what I have found amusing. Driving. Often I will be over taken and the driver has such a look of disdain or aggravation on their face. I think “wtf?” as I am truly tempted to wave and smile in return, its then that I twig!! My registration number, its MP. Now I would be lying if I didn’t reveal in the past, (so in Nellies)  I myself have done that exact thing. In Nellies, again for obvious reasons, there were always plenty of GP/ND/EC okay so you get my drift! Number plates from other Southern Africa provinces! Either crawling along at a snails pace, or flashing their lights and warning me to move out their path before the mowed me out the way! Ok, Ok yip I also do it (shhhhh don’t tell Gary its he’s worst) but the funniest for me – being back in the KZN region, I am acutely aware of how the KZNers cant stand the “Vaalies” which, yip dear reader includes the MP plates” so don’t I suddenly adhere to their way of driving – cant wait to change that blady number plate and be able to show a finger or two! But for now, I shall smile and wave as I give way to them (sigh sigh).

I have mentioned this before I am damn sure (unsureness again as we ponder about early Alzheimer’s) but TIMING! How our lives are truly – well and truly I believe all planned ahead of time. Recently I met a friend for coffee, we had finished our coffee. She went on her merry way (well, I think it was her merry way,  after all she had just been with Dizabeth?) I decided to pop in at a jeweler, it was a random last-minute decision. And in that jeweler was a friend, a very dear friend that I have made arrangements with to meet up since being back and due to life we had to delay it – and this particular day she had time on her hands. We had an awesome catch up. A reason, a season a lifetime time …..and all that – it fascinates me! At that particular time you are both in the same place at the same time and you meet! Timing indeed! I recall years, years, yeeeeeeeeeeaaaars ago, we had just arrived in Nellies, it was the days where I used to phone home (Durban) every frikken night, and the poor recipient each night would be clueless  as to what I was talking about as I just sobbed and sobbed!! I know! And not to mention my exorbitant cell phone accounts – all for me to just cry! Anyhow as you all know I soon settled (hmmmmm I wouldn’t say “soon”, it was probably about three-ish years before I felt totally happy and homey”) anyhow, this particular day the garden service was there for the first time. Our garden – who watches “The last of us” currently on Mnet??? Brilliant I know! But our garden resembled those times, grass as tall as me – and monsters lurking in them tall grasses! So I had popped in home – I was running some errands …. oh that’s it – just recalled, I was dropping Chad off at home from school pick up and asked him to run in and tell the maid I was waiting in the car to drop her at the bus stop. So he comes racing back with such excitement and true gob smacked tone in his voice “Ma, you have to come and see the pool, all the grass is floating on the top, you cannot even see the pool bottom” on and on he went, yip, you gathered he was way, way, younger than he is now. In fact he was in standard one, so shucks I think about seven? Anyhow on and on he went – not relenting at all. So (I cannot lie, I was stomping through the house resembling a baby elephant – yip I was that irritated!) when something caught my eye. Something that was long, very long, slithery and extremely dangerous! It was a Mozambican spitting cobra that had been residing in our “The last of us” garden until the grass cutter had arrived a few seconds before! Now, after all this – my point, once again. Timing! Imagine for a second dear reader if I had not at that particular time arrived home, Chad had not raced to see the pool and called me!! That slithery snake could have caused unimaginable trauma and tragedy for the new Durbs mom and her family that were brand new to Nelspruit. I saw him slithering in the kitchen, if I hadn’t seen him he could have made his way into the boys room, and and and …..  We soon learnt that there are some truly scary snakes that also call Nelspruit home.

And on that note, I think its “time” to wrap up this blog – it’s all she wrote for now.

Thanks to all of you – even though I don’t publish as frequently as I should, for those of you still flying the flag and loving Dizabeth’s blog as much as you do – I salute you – and promise you – I will always, always make “time” to write my blogs for you lot.

So till next “time”; take care and always be kind to you.

Mwah mwah